Edwards: The Minister Before the Judgment Seat of Christ

This is a picture I took of the Edwards memorial in the Northampton cemetery. Jonathan Edwards is actually not buried here, but several of his family members are. JE was buried in the cemetery at Princeton after his death on March 22, 1758. This memorial has his name, birth date, date of death, his wife's madden name, her dates, and all of his children's information.

Instead of giving you my review, I'll just give you the outline of the message. Needless to say, I like this message a lot and find it challenging. What would my church do if I preached a message with this many ponits/subpoints? The sermon is based on Luke 10:17-18 and was preached at an ordination service.

3 observations on the text:
1. How the disciples are affected upon returning to Christ (they returned with joy).
2. They tell Christ the demons were subject to them.
(1) They speak of it as a joyful thing.
(2) They suppose it to be a pleasing thing to Christ.
3. Christ receives them.
(1) Christ allows and confirms their account (He does not call it into question).
(2) Christ receives what they said happened.

Doctrine:
"When those ministers of the Gospel that have been faithful and successful come to give an account of their success to their Lord that has sent them, Christ and they will rejoice together."
Proposition 1 - Ministers of the Gospel are sent forth by Jesus Christ.
Proposition 2 - Minister must give an account to Christ.
Proposition 3 - The minister and Christ will rejoice together.
First: Jesus Christ will rejoice upon that occasion.
Why will Christ rejoice:
1. For His glory.
2. Those that are saved are objects of His love.
3. The minister's success is His success.
Second: The Ministers will rejoice.
Why will they rejoice:
1. Their love for Christ, for whom they have labored, will cause them to rejoice.
2. Their love for the souls of those saved will case them to rejoice.
3. Their love for themselves will cause them to rejoice.
(1) Faithful service is accepted by Christ.
(2) They will be rewarded for their labor.
(3) The people who have been awakened.
4. All the ministers together will rejoice with Christ.
(1) It implies that when they shall then rejoice, they shall be together as friends.
(2) It implies that they shall rejoice as jointly interested and mutually concerned in this affair.
(3) It implies that their joy shall be mutually manifested.
(4) They shall rejoice in each other's joy.

Application:
Inference 1 - The Gospel ministry is a blessed work.
Inference 2 - This text gives motivation for ministers to be faithful and successful.
First, let ministers consider the blessed day when we stand before Christ.
Second, lack of success does not mean lack of reward (Christ rewards for faithfulness).
Third, how dreadful will our case be when we come to give an account to our Lord if we have been unfaithful.
Fourth, faithfulness is the way to success.
Inference 3 - The people have a great responsibility to ensure a minister's success by encouraging him in his work, enabling of him to attend to it without distraction, by taking care of his temporal affairs, and by loving their minister and being kind to him.